ABOUT THE RESEARCH COMPETITION

Collaborative learning with a touch of friendly competition!

Pedagogical Objectives  |  Rights of Use  |   Credits  | Mediagraphy  | Comments

The pedagogical simulation The Research Competition (TRC) aims at supporting teachers and students with the production of research work for the course Social Science Research Methods. It may also be useful as a methodological complement to the courses Quantitative Methods in Social Science Research and Integration of the Social Sciences.

Simulating the process of funds allocation for social science research in a manner similar to the yearly competitions held by funding councils, such as Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC) or Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), TRC provides activities, tools, and methods related to the social science research process.  TRC will help students launch research projects in any number of disciplines or design modalities.

The spotlight is on supporting the production of empirical research proposals and reports, key assignments in research methods courses (RM). TRC supplements existing RM course work material (textbook, manual, etc.) and is not intended as a stand-alone, comprehensive course package.

Pedagogical Objectives

The Research Competition addresses ministerial competency 022Q: Apply the scientific approach used in the field of Social Science to empirical research.

More specifically, it covers the following four elements (out of seven) of this competency:

  1. Explain the characteristics of the scientific approach used in Social Science.
  2. Identify a research problem.
  3. Select a research method and technique that correspond to the problem identified.
  4. Produce a data collection instrument based on the research method and technique selected.

In addition, the Collegiate Contest portion of TRC aims to fulfill the criteria for activities that are covered by the various Student Involvement Recognition (SIR) programs of the CÉGEP network. The hours spent by students participating to the Contest would count toward the mention for student involvement on their academic transcript. The proposed number of hours that can be recognized towards a mention on the student’s record is ten (10). TRC aims to fulfill the criteria of Contributory involvement, in the Science area of student involvement: 

Contributory involvement
Where students contribute significantly to one or more extracurricular activities that require them to take on responsibilities, take initiative, show leadership and enhance learning. (§ 2.1, p. 4)

Science
This area includes scientific or technical activities that involve research, testing or communication, and that raise the level of interest and knowledge in science and technology. Learning associated with methodology, rigour, ingenuity, analysis and synthesis is recognized. (§ 4.1, p. 7)

Finally, TRC contributes to the development of the following skills of the ICT Profile for College Students:

  • Search for information
  • Process information
  • Present information
  • Use ICTs in an Efficient and Responsible Manner 

Rights of use

The resources offered on this website were designed primarily for the teachers and students in the Québec college network. They can be used only for educational, non-commercial purposes.
We allow sites to post links to our resources, but reproduction, modification and re-routing to paid sites are strictly prohibited. Reference to the source (Centre collégial de développement de matériel didactique/Collegial Centre for Educational Materials Development) and the web address (www.ccdmd.qc.ca) is always mandatory.
Some of the resources may require authorization for reproduction and some are subject to specific restrictions. It is the responsibility of the user to check with the CCDMD which conditions apply.

Commercial Use

Any use of any resource for commercial purposes requires a specific agreement between the applicant and the CCDMD.

Referencing

The user must always cite the authors and source of the resources.

e.g., Gelston, Lynda. (2017). The Research Competition, Centre collégial de développement de matériel didactique (CCDMD). http://research.ccdmd.qc.ca

For more information, please contact the CCDMD at info@ccdmd.qc.ca or 514 873-2200.

Credits

The Research Competition is a production by the Collegial Centre for Educational Materials Development (CCDMD).

Based on an idea developed by Lynda Gelston, John Abbott College

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Pedagogical design

Lynda Gelston, John Abbott College

Scientific review

Wendi Hadd, Ph.D. (John Abbott College)
Karine St-Denis, Ph.D. (Centre de Recherche en Éthique CRÉ)
Bruce Tsuji, Ph.D. (Carleton University)

Linguistic review

Wendi Petersen, trad. a

PRODUCTION

Animation

Unik Media

Sound recording

Studio SFX

Cast

Jordan Wiberg
Erin Setch

Photography

Félicité Roy
Michael Gannon

WEB SITE

IT design and programming

Symetris

Graphic design

Christine Blais

Web integration

Véronique Pivetta

Content integration

Kim Trudel

Project manager

Michel Hardy-Vallée, CCDMD

Mediagraphy

Alvermann, D. (2008). Why bother theorizing adolescents’ online literacies for classroom practice and research? Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 52(1). 8-19.

Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom.  San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Dean, R.J., & Dagostino, L. (2007, February). Motivational factors affecting advanced literacy learning of community college students. Community College Journal of Research & Practice 31(2), 149-161.

Elliott, A., & King, D. (2007), The Report of the Read/Write Needs Assessment Survey. John Abbott College report.

Gelston, L. & Seller, R. (2011, November 14). REPORT: Assessing Literacy Needs and Practices in the Research Methods Course. Submission to John Abbott College as part of 5.2 release project.

Jetton, T. L., Cancienne, M. B., & Greever, B. (2008). The evolving roles of faculty learning communities : A university/high school literacy partnership. Theory into Practice 47, 327-335.

Karre, I. (2010). Busy, noisy & powerfully effective: Team-based learning in the college. Handbook of Teaching & Learning Strategies.  Made available by author for college workshop, Cooperative Learning in the College Classroom. John Abbott College.

Lewis, C., & Fabos, B. (2005). Instant messaging, literacies, and social identities. Reading Research Quarterly 40(4), 470-501.

Mannion, G., & Ivanic, R. (2007, January). Mapping literacy practices: Theory, methodology, and methods. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 20(1), 15-30.

Savvidis, S. (2011, November 6). Dragons’ Den: Applied @ JAC in Business & Research Methods, unpublished Power point presentation delivered at in-house teacher conference November 6, 2011.  John Abbott College. 

Social Science Program Assessment Report. (2011, May). John Abbott College. 

Soares, L.B., & Wood, K. (2010, March). A critical literacy perspective for teaching and learning social studies. The Reading Teacher 63(6), 486-494.

Squire, K. & Jenkins, H. (2003). Harnessing the power of games in education.  Insight 3, pp. 5-33.

Wheeldon, J. & Ahlberg, M. (2012). Visualizing Social Science Research. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Zhao, C. & Kuh, J.D. (2010). Adding value:  Learning communities and student engagement. Research in High Research in Higher Education, in presser Education, in press. Retrieved October 20, 2011.

Comments

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